Chobham Motor Fatality.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to a recent accident at Chobham, through which a cyclist lost his life in consequence of being ridden down by a motor car driven by Lieutenant Paton; and, seeing that the car travelled nearly 200 yards from the scene of the accident before it could be stopped, will he consider the expediency of introducing legislation such as will secure the imprisonment of persons who drive motor vehicles at excessive speeds on public thoroughfares.

I have seen a newspaper report of the inquest in this case. As regards the question generally of penalties for driving at a speed or in a manner which is dangerous to the public, I may point out that under Section 11 of the Motor Car Act, 1903, a person guilty of this offence is not only liable to a pecuniary penalty, but in the case of a second or subsequent conviction he may, at the discretion of the Court, be imprisoned for a period not exceeding three months. Whether any alteration should be proposed in the penalties prescribed by the Act is a matter which will receive my consideration in connection with the Report of the Royal Commission on Motor Cars; but I may state that the
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Commission did not recommend any such alteration as regards this particular offence.